New Beginnings
by TheEmberRaven
Summary: Ever wonder how Kurt came to be with the X-men? A little look into his past pre-X-men Evolution.
1. Chapter 1

**New Beginnings**

**Summary: **Ever wonder how Kurt came to be with the X-men? A little look into his past pre-X-men Evolution.

**Disclaimer: No, just…no.**

oOo

**Chapter 1:**

Kurt was standing next to his bedroom window, looking out it sadly. Outside, he saw a wide stretch of farming field, and in the distance, soft lights that illuminated some of the village buildings. He could hear music floating up from the village, thanks to his acute ears. The music and lights beckoned him. The town was having a fall festival, and he wanted to go. He just wanted to jump out the window and run towards them…..

Kurt was 15. In all his years, he'd never been into town once. He wasn't allowed to leave the house, except at night and only then he couldn't go more than a few feet away from the house. His parents liked to keep a close eye on him. They always worried that someone might see him and ruin their secret.

He sighed at the thought, glancing down at his blue tridactyl hands. That was why he couldn't leave the house. Blue fur, three fingered hands, pointed ears, glowing eyes, and most prominently, a whip-like spaded tail. If anyone saw him—and he had been seen several times before but luckily his parents and their friends had contained it—it could cause chaos. Sighing again, Kurt looked back out the window.

He longed to be there at the festival with the townspeople. He could hardly imagine going out in public, unafraid to be beaten or stoned or shot at. The thought almost made him sick with longing. All that separated him from that blissful, free life was his appearance. His horrible, demonic appearance.

"Kurt, what are you doing?" a soft voice asked from the doorway to his room. Kurt didn't look away from the window.

"I'm watching the festival, mom," he replied. His golden eyes filled with the warmth he saw in the distant lights. His mother, small and slender, came up beside him and wrapped a tiny arm around him. He was only 15, but he was already a head taller than she was. "It looks like fun," Kurt muttered longingly. His mother heard the desire in his voice. He gently turned his face away from the window with a small hand.

"Yes, but you know you can't go, honey," she reminded him, staring straight into his soft eyes. His face fell a little. He knew all too well. His striking fur and eyes were perfect reminders of why he could never go out in public.

"I know, mom," he whispered. His mother nodded and led him away from the window.

"Come on, Kurt. Come downstairs and eat some dinner," she said, trying to sound cheery to draw Kurt out of his sadness. It worked. Kurt smiled at the edge of his mouth. "There's my smile, ja?" his mother chirped, messing up his shaggy black hair with her hand. The smile widened.

"What's for dinner?"

"Vegetable soup. And don't make that face at me," she added as his expression shifted to one of disdain. "You'll like it."

"Ja, and that's what you said when you made me try that squid from Hamburg," he teased, following her into the kitchen.

~Later~

After dinner—which hadn't been too bad after all—Kurt retreated to his room. He sat on the floor near his window and went back to staring at the distant festival lights. He felt the tugging, longing sensation from earlier, and he wanted so badly to go.

_I could do it,_ he thought rebelliously. It wouldn't be that hard. All he had to do was imagine being there, and he would be. He'd been able to teleport from a very young age, and it was a handy ability.

_I'd have to walk_, he decided, working out a plan in his head. _Don't want to scare anyone_.

A few minutes later, he had his brilliant plan ready to go. He would climb out his window, sneak over to the nearby field and use it for cover as he got close enough to the festival to watch it from a comfortable distance. It seemed perfect. Now all that he had to do was instigate it.

_Easier thought than done_, he mused, opening up his window and looking down two stories. His breath caught in his throat. He'd never disobeyed his parents—not for something this serious. If he got caught, it would be very bad.

_It's not far_, he encouraged himself. He closed his eyes. Yes, but he was still doing a bad thing. No! He'd been locked inside for too long. This rebellion was good for him. He needed to get out of the house. _Just do it, Wagner._

Finally, he took a breath and jumped out the window, landing softly and easily on the earthy ground. He looked around, grinned widely, and dashed away into the grassy field. ~

oOo

Kurt stalked through the high grasses of the field, feeling pretty good about his decision. He was outside and away from his house for the first time in forever. He so rarely left the house and had this freedom. It was great. The feel of the grass on his chest and legs. The cool soil beneath his feet. The blowing wind in his hair…he inhaled the night air, sighing happily as he did so.

The music got closer. It was still about 2 miles away, but it was easier to hear now. It floated along with the wind, lingering in the air like perfume. Kurt thought about teleporting closer, but he was smart enough to lay low. The last thing he wanted to do was draw attention to himself. _Walking was a good idea, Wagner_, he thought, pleased with his adventure so far. It was the most exciting thing that had happened to him in months.

Kurt saw a large, twisted tree up ahead through the grass. He knew that tree. It marked the edge of the Vistoff's property, for one, but was a mark of exactly 2 miles from the outskirts of town. He drew closer to it. The grass thinned out a little, and a few steps later, he found himself at the edge of the clearing around the tree.

To his immense surprise, there were two boys in their twenties, leaning against the tree, having a smoke. It was too late to go back. Both boys saw him and cried out in surprise.

"Demon!" one of them screamed. He dropped his cigarette and ran at Kurt like an angry bull. Kurt, panicked and afraid, turned and ran off into the high grass. He was used to people running away from him, not running _after_ him. His panic only heightened as he heard the footfall of both boys. They were older, taller, and stronger, and they gained on him despite his unsual speed and agility.

One of the boys tackled him to the ground, and the other stopped a few feet short. The boy who was still standing helped his buddy up, then pulled a very dazed but frightened Kurt to his feet and started beating him. The other boy joined in, saying, "Demon, monster. Freak!"

Kurt couldn't do anything. "Leave me alone!" he screamed over and over until his voice finally broke. He was too scared to teleport anywhere.

The blows continued to come. Each strike was hellacious enough to make him want to curl up and die. His ribs took the most hits, and after a minute, he was coughing up blood. "God, leave me alone," he said in a broken whisper. A sharp blow came to his shoulder. He cried out and spasmed in pain.

"Shut up, demon!" one of the thugs snarled, landing another blow on his shoulder.

Kurt closed his eyes as warm tears streamed down his face. _What did I do to deserve this?_

~Elsewhere~

It was near midnight. Kristofer and Astrid were sleeping peacefully, when Astrid suddenly woke and sat up in bed. Her hands flew to her chest. Her heart rate shot up. Kristofer rolled over, disturbed by her movements, and woke up himself. (1)

"Astrid? What is it?" he asked groggily. Astrid inhaled and looked around.

"I don't know," she said as she crawled out of bed. "But something's not right." She could feel it. Something was wrong, and it was tugging at her. She closed her eyes, trying to think what it might be_. Kurt._ He came into her mind suddenly, and she dashed out of the bedroom and upstairs. A very confused Kristofer followed her.

"Love, what is it?" he called after her.

Astrid stopped suddenly in the doorway of Kurt's room. Kristofer stopped beside her and let out a tiny gasp. Kurt's bed was made up. Empty. His windows were wide open and a light breeze played with the curtains.

"Oh no," Kristofer blurted out.

"Kris, find him," Astrid said, gathering her thoughts together.

Kristofer ran back downstairs and threw on a jacket and some boots. He grabbed a flashlight and headed for the door. Astrid caught him by the arm, stopping him for a moment.

"I think he went to the festival," she told him quickly. "He was showing interest in it earlier today. Find our son quickly, please," she added in a frightened whisper. Her husband nodded, kissed her on the forehead, and bolted out the door.

Kristopher made his way through the fields to the village. He too heard the music and saw the lights in the distance. He could imagine Kurt wanting to go and be near that. Despite his usually playful personality, Kris and Astrid knew he didn't like being locked inside all the time. It drove him crazy. For a moment, Kristofer felt a wave of guilt wash over him. Kurt had left out of rebellion, something that could have been avoided.

As he drew nearer to the village, Kris suddenly stopped as he heard a loud scream fill the air. He recognized the scream as one of fear and pain, and he ran towards it blindly. His heart sunk with every step.

He came to a place where the grass thinned and was only knee-high. His eyes were met with a horrible sight. Two tall, thick boys were beating Kurt—his _son_—with their bare hands. His heart jumped into his throat but his fatherly instructs took over.

He grabbed the closest boy and pulled him backwards, knocking him off balance. The boy stumbled around for a moment, not expecting a punch in the face. He cried out and ran off. The other boy took one look at Kristofer, tall, powerful, and angry, and bolted away like a rabbit. Kristofer watched them run off for a moment, then knelt down to assess his son.

Kurt was lying in a tight ball, his hands clutching his head to protect it. He whimpered pathetically and coughed up a mouthful of blood. Gently, carefully, Kris attempted to pick the boy up. Kurt groaned in protest.

"Don't touch me!" he cried out.

Kris put his hand on his son's head. "Kurt, you're alright," he said as calmingly as he could. "Let me help you."

Kurt coughed up more blood, then nodded painfully. He winced as Kris scooped him up, but was quiet after that. Kris worried as he started the long walk home. Kurt was limp, deadweight. His breathing was ragged and shallow, and whenever he tried to take a deep breath, he coughed up thick, red blood. After a few minutes, he stopped whimpering, and after a few minutes more, he stopped moving altogether except for his breathing.

Kris walked faster. His heart pounded. This couldn't be happening. Not to his son. He closed his eyes in pain. But of course it was happening to his son. His son looked like a demon to most people. Kristofer, of course, never saw him like that, but he knew other people always would. It made his hear ache more.

Up ahead, he finally saw the light from his house. He could see Astrid standing in the doorway, looking around nervously. He walked faster until he was only a few hundred feet away. Astrid spotted him and took a few steps toward him.

"Astrid!" Kristofer called as he trudged within earshot of his wife. "Call Dr. Albert. Kurt's in bad shape."

oOo

**(1) I can't remember what Kurt's parents' names are, so I made them up.**

**I know, I know. Elf abuse. I'm terrible. Poor Kurt….**

**Yes, there will be more soon. I'll take you up to the point when Kurt actually gets the mansion. It should be awesome. R&R**

**-The Ember Raven**


	2. Chapter 2

**New Beginnings**

**Note: Thank you Kitty-Mae for reviewing. And danke kgirl and Sidney for being so sweet and reading all of my stuff. You guys make me happy. Here's chapter 2. Read on!**

oOo

**Chapter 2:**

Kris took Kurt inside, and, with Astrid's help set him down on the living room couch. He was totally unconscious, but even then, he was moaning in pain and crying out when either parent touched him. Astrid dashed into the kitchen to find the phone. While she called Dr. Albert, who was a personal friend of her's, Kris filled a bowl with warm water and began dabbing the blood off Kurt's body and clothes. Kris's clothes were stained with streaks and spots of blood, but it didn't matter. Nothing mattered except the safety of his son.

His eyes were sad, distant. This wasn't the first time Kurt had been beaten up. A few years back, some drunken thugs had wandered onto their property and found Kurt playing in the backyard. That hadn't ended well; Kris hated to think about it.

Astrid returned to the living room, phone in hand. "I just called Hans. He'll be over as soon as he can," she added, folding herself sinuously on the floor beside the couch. She shivered as she looked at her child. She took his limp hand and stroked the back of it with her thumb. It was comforting to her.

"Do you think he'll be ok?" Astrid asked in a bare whisper.

The look in Kris's eyes made up for his silence. They were heavy, sad, and full of pain.

Astrid breathed in and out a few times of calm herself_. Please let my son be alright_, she thought to no one in particular. Somewhere inside, she was angry. Her son was the sweetest, kindest boy she'd ever been around. He was creative and funny—always an optimist even when he should have been upset of hurt. He didn't deserve to be kept inside all the time. He didn't deserve to be beaten within an inch of his life every time he encountered other people. Kurt was the most unselfish person. Despite the way he looked, he could make fun of himself and find humor in his predicament. He could accept himself the way he was. Why couldn't the rest of the world?

_Ah, that is the question_, she said to herself. People were judgmental and cruel. Of course they wouldn't understand him.

There was a knock at the door. Kris jumped up the answer it. Astrid remained next to Kurt, lost in her own thoughts.

Kris warily opened the door. It could be anyone—the boys from earlier, people they might have told who'd come looking for trouble…the police. Kris sighed with relief to see the slender face of Dr. Hans Albert on the other side of the door. He was an unmistakable figure in the town, with his bright red hair and old-fashioned looking face.

"Hans, come in," Kris said quickly, opening the door wider. Hans nodded at him understandingly. He'd been a friend of the family's for years, and he knew the difficulties Astrid and Kris faced raising a son like Kurt.

"Where's the boy?" he asked.

"In here," Kris directed, leading him into the living room. The doctor crossed the room and assessed Kurt briefly with his eyes and hands.

"These cuts aren't too bad. There's lots of bruising, though. Wouldn't be surprised if he had some broken ribs," he said simply. Kris nodded.

"He was coughing up blood earlier," he reported.

The doctor, who was gently testing various ribs, bit his lip. "Not good," he muttered.

He went on examining Kurt for about fifteen minutes before stopping and looking up to address Astrid and Kris.

"How bad?" Kris asked.

"Some broken ribs and a fracture along the left elbow. I'll need some bandages, if you please."

Astrid nodded and went upstairs to find bandages.

"I forgot to bring over some of my tools," the doctor explained. "I came over in such a rush."

"It's ok," Kris said. "As long as you're here…that's all that matters." He looked over at Kurt and stroked his hair gently.

"So he'll be ok?"

The doctor raised a red eyebrow. "Well, physically, yes. He should recover in a few weeks. I don't know what this experience will do to him emotionally."

Kris nodded understandingly. "I know."

"This isn't the first bad encounter he's had with other people," the doctor pointed out. "You can't let this happen again. I'm not a psychologist, but these experiences can't be doing good things for his self-esteem and confidence. Or his trust in other people, for that matter."

Kris sat back on his heels and sighed. "What do we do?" he asked.

Just them, Astrid came back with a roll of bandages. The doctor took them and thanked her. He finished his work on Kurt and stood up. "That's everything. But I would like to talk to both of you in the kitchen for a moment."

The couple nodded and followed him into the kitchen. Kris leaned against the counters, Astrid leaned against him, and the doctor stood on the other side of the room, regarding them both. "You know you can't let things go on like this," the doctor advised them.

Kris wrapped his arms around Astrid and pulled her to him comfortingly. "We know," he muttered. "But what do we do? We can't move again—don't have the money. There's nowhere we can go."

"I understand," the doctor acknowledged. "I think maybe you need to send the boy away. Out of the country, perhaps. Out of this region, at least."

"What? Why?" Astrid interjected.

"Because. This place is too isolated. People are too closely knit. It's hard to keep you three a secret. You need to send him somewhere more open."

"We can't," Kris threw in. "Where would he go?"

The doctor leaned back against the wall. " England. The United States. They're more open-minded than we are. I know another family with a mutant child. They sent her to England, said she was doing fine. It's just a suggestion."

Astrid looked up to Kris. "I don't know," she said softly.

"Well, think about it," the doctor suggested. "You have to do something." And with that, he pushed away from the wall and made his way to the door. "Good night, Astrid, Kris."

Astrid wiggled free of Kris and took the doctor's hand in hers. "Thank you so much, Hans. We'll see what we can do."

The doctor nodded. "Not a problem. I know you will." He pulled the door open and departed swiftly into the night. Astrid was left standing in the middle of the kitchen, thinking. Kris came up form behind and hugged her gently.

"We'll look into it in the morning," he whispered into her ear. "Let's get some sleep."

Astrid nodded slowly after a minute. "I can't sleep. Not after…this. I'm going to sit with Kurt, ok?"

Kris yawned. "Alright, love. I'll try to get some sleep. Promise you won't stay up all night worrying?"

Astrid smiled a tiny smile—the first one all evening. "I'll try not to."

~The next morning~

Astrid woke up on the floor beside the couch. She was stiff, sore, and emotionally numb. She sat up, saw the Kurt was still unconscious, and rubbed one of his ears with her fingers. He moved slightly, but didn't wake up. He looked more relaxed now than he had last night, and for that, Astrid was grateful. She pulled herself to her feet and wandered into the kitchen.

It was early morning, around seven. Kris had already gone off to work. On the fridge was a little note from him. It said: **There's some papaya on the table. Eat. If Kurt wakes up, tell him I love him. –Kris**

Astrid moved over to the table to get the papaya. It was fresh, sweet, cool. It eased the tension in her body a bit, but she was still immensely sore. She sat down at the table while she ate to do some thinking.

Hans was right; they needed to find some place safe for Kurt to live. Her initial reaction to the idea was one of displeasure and fear. Kurt was her son. Other than Kris, he was the one thing in the world she loved and cherished. She couldn't imagine sending him away and being without him. But he was 15, and had never left the house. It seemed rather unfair.

_What would he be like?_ She wondered. Kurt was well educated, but he wasn't very street-smart. He didn't have many social skills, he was painfully shy around people other than his parents, and he had no experience with people his age. Astrid had no idea how he'd be around other people, if he could find a way for that to happen at all.

How would he manage that? He looked like, well, a monster to most people. He couldn't find a place where he would be accepted, or if he did, it would be limited, surely. But a feeling of hope welled up inside her. Maybe there was a place where he would be accepted. If there was such a place, it certainly wasn't here, as Hans pointed out. He needed to get out of the country. Yes.

Astrid stood up, her hope renewed and her curiosity piqued. She walked into her room and pulled the family laptop out from under the bed. She took it back into the kitchen and sat down in front of it. _Maybe I can find something online_, she hoped. And she began searching.

Three hours later, she had her lead. She'd found something in America. It was far away, but looked promising. She'd found the website of the Xavier Institute for Gifted Youngsters. Initially, it hadn't seemed like much. It was just a school for talented children. But she'd found several sources suggesting it was a place for mutants—people like Kurt. If there was any chance, this was it. She found the school number, grabbed the phone, and called it.

There was silence, then, "Xavier Institute, this is Jean Grey."

Astrid sighed with relief. "Um, yes, my name Astrid Wagner," she said, trying to remember all of her English. "I speak to Professor Xavier, please?"

"Sure," the voice on the other end said. "Hold on one sec."

More silence. Another voice answered. "This is Professor Xavier. How may I help you?"

Astrid's heart pounded. She was suddenly afraid, but she didn't know why. She swallowed before responding. "I know zis sounds odd, but I need to know: you a school for special people, ja? Mutants?" she asked, knowing this could be risky.

There was a pause on the other end of the line. "Yes. How…how do you know about us?"

"I need help. My son—he's very different. He needs a place to go. I desperate. Can you help me?"

"I'll try, Mrs.—what was your name?"

"Wagner. Astrid Wagner," she responded.

"Wagner," the professor repeated. "You're not American, I see. German?"

"Ja, ja."

"Ok. That's fine. Now, what exactly can your son do? What are his gifts?"

Astrid closed her eyes, thinking. Kurt was wonderfully gifted. He could teleport, climb walls, flip around like a trapeze artist, hide himself in shadow….She just worried she'd have to mention the way he looked. "Mein son, he can move himself from place to place by thinking about it."

"Teleport, you mean?"

"Ja. Und he is strong und fast, like cat. Very agile."

"Interesting," the professor mused. "How old his he?"

"Fifteen."

"Does he have any trouble at school, any trouble controlling his powers, anything? You mentioned you were desperate…"

Astrid sighed. "My don does not go to school. He can't. I teach him at home. He can not control his powers very vell, but zat's not ze main problem."

"He…can't go to school. Why not?" the professor inquired.

Astrid sighed again. Oh dear. "He does not look like ozzer children. Mein husband und I, ve found him as a baby, abandoned. His skin is…blue. Und he has strange hands and yellow eyes. Ah, und he has a tail," she added quickly, getting everything out in a rush.

Silence followed for a moment. "That is….unusual indeed. But that will not keep us from accepting your son. If he needs a place to be around other people, I can offer him a home here. He will be well cared for."

"He vill? You…you vill take him?" Astrid breathed, amazed.

"Of course. If he wants to go, that is. Do you have his consent?"

"Um, I can get it," Astrid offered. "Und you said he vill be vith ozzer children his age?"

"Yes. We have about twenty students. He vill live with him."

"But…but how?" Astrid demanded. "He has been….shunned"—she lowered her eyes sadly—"because of how he looks."

The professor frowned slightly on the other end of the phone. "That won't be a problem here. I have students with physical limitations that prevent them from normally living among humans. They have learned to live peacefully with humans. I can help your son."

Astrid was breathing quickly. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Kurt would be with people his age? He could….go out in public? Get an education? Her head reeled. "Um, zank you, Professor. I'll…I'll talk vith mein son about zis und tell you our answer, ja?"

"Of course. Call me when you're ready. Good day."

"Danke. Guten tag!"

Astrid hung up the phone and punched the air. "Yes!" she mouthed, wishing she could scream it at the top of her lungs.

She'd found a place for Kurt. Things might work out after all. Too happy to speak, she picked the phone back up to call Kris at work.~

oOo

**I'm seriously in love with this story and I promise to update soon. Review if you want there to be a bit of Kurtty at the end. :)**

**-The Ember Raven**


	3. Chapter 3

**New Beginnings**

**A/N: As always, thank you dedicated readers (you know who you are). You guys are the best. Enjoy.**

oOo

**Chapter 3:**

A few days had passed since the incident. Astrid hadn't mentioned the Institute to Kurt, seeing as he had other things on his mind. He was healing well and looking better, but he'd been depressed and moody since his encounter.

Astrid feared Kurt's new behavior for several reasons. A few years ago, when he'd been around 13, he'd gone through a long goth stage where he was rude, short-tempered, and depressed. He'd even dyed his clothes black, done strange things with his hair, and tried to pierce his ears. His behavior for the past few days and been quickly regressing back to that point.

When Astrid had tried making him breakfast, he didn't eat anything and complained about her being slow and a bad cook. Astrid knew he didn't mean it, but it hurt her heart to see him act like that.

Now, he was upstairs, locked in his room where he'd spent most of the last few days. He rarely came down, but when he did, his temper flared at the slightest thing and he was irritable beyond belief. Astrid was sitting at the kitchen table, crying to herself and wondering what to do.

_God, please help my son. He's so hurt and confused,_ she begged to the only person she felt like she could turn to. She knew he was acting strangely because he couldn't deal with his emotions, but the knowledge didn't make things any easier.

_I don't know what to do,_ she admitted. _God, I don't know what to do. I'm failing as a parent, but I don't know how to help my son. I…It's hard to know what he's thinking and feeling sometimes. He's so different than Kris and I. We can't relate to him._

Astrid paused. Upstairs, heavy music had started blaring. The house vibrated slightly from the sound. She sighed and put her face in her palms. "Great," she muttered.

This was definitely a bad sign. When Kurt was pissed off, on went the horrible music. Sounded like Rammestein. Terrible, scream-o. It hurt her ears. _That's it_, she thought to herself. If anything, she'd go upstairs and talk to him about the loud music. Maybe she should try talking about other stuff, too. It would all depend on what mood he was in.

No, bad mood or not, she was the parent and could talk to her son whenever she wanted. Kurt was struggling, and it was her job to try to help him. She raised her head and nodded in resolve. She gathered herself and marched upstairs.

Standing outside his door, the music was almost unbearable. How was it that he wasn't deaf yet? Astrid sighed and pushed his door open. Inside, Kurt was drawing with markers all over his wall. The drawings were of disturbing things—people hanging from nooses, guns, blood, all emblems of death and pain. Astrid drew back, not expecting such a shocker.

"Kurt!" she cried over the music. Kurt looked away from the wall and glared at her. She couldn't imagine how he was climbing around the walls with a broken elbow and broken ribs. He jumped down and crossed the room. He shut off the music as he passed it. When he approached Astrid, his stature compared to hers became very noticeable. He stood a head taller than her, towering over her.

"Vhat?" he snapped. His golden eyes burned. As Astrid stared into them, she thought, _How can those be the same eyes I saw a few days ago?_ So angry and distant.

"Keep the music off, for starters," Astrid finally said. "And two..." She looked back at the drawings all over his wall and her eyes brimmed with tears. Her initial anger dissipated, leaving a choking, painful feeling in her heart.

"Why, Kurt? Is that how you feel?" she asked, moving closer to one of the large drawings to examine it closer.

Kurt stayed near the doorway, his arms crossed, and a brooding look on his face. "So what if it is?"

Astrid touched the drawing of the people being hanged and the tears started to come again. "This is..." she trailed off, at a lack for words.

Kurt remained silent, preferring just to stare at her. "Honey, you...you're not well. You need help," Astrid got out after a moment.

Kurt rolled his eyes. "Help? What, you think making me lie on a couch and talk to some overpaid professional will make me hurt any less? I seriously doubt it."

"What will help, then?" Astrid asked quietly. She didn't know what else to do.

Kurt averted his eyes, his face falling. Finally, the mask of cavalierity dropped, revealing the sensitive feelings underneath. Kurt flinched at the emotions that flowed over him. "No one can help me," he whispered.

Suddenly, Astrid felt like she should bring something up. "Nein, I know someone who can," she said slowly. "There is a school in America for people like you, Kurt. You could go there and live with them."

Kurt looked back at her, his face somewhere between disbelief and horror. "What? You're sending me away?"

"No, no." Astrid held up her hands in denial. "You don't have to go if you don't want to. I…I found this school a while ago, and I was going to tell you, but…"

"I don't want to go," Kurt decided quickly. _They can't help me_, he thought sadly.

"Why not? You could be with students your age. Other people like you. And you could go to a real school. The Professor said so."

Kurt threw his head back and laughed a dark laugh. "Ha! Go to school? Me? Why don't I take a gun and shoot myself? It's the same thing."

"No, Kurt," Astrid said strongly. "America is different. They tolerate different people. The Professor said he had students like you. Students who couldn't live a normal life before. He helped them and I know he can help you. Why won't you give it a try?"

Kurt calmed down, and took her words in. "How would he manage this?" he asked, somewhat interested but not willing to show it.

"I…I don't know, but I can ask. He said I could call him if you were willing to go. Is that ok?" Astrid stammered. She couldn't believe she'd gotten his attention that easily.

Kurt shook his head. "I don't vant to go, mama. That professor, or whatever, he lied. I don't care if he's rich or powerful or has technology, there is no way he can make normal people accept me."

Astrid sighed sadly. "What if you talked to him? He said you or I could call at any time."

"Nein, mama. I don't believe him, and even if I did, I don't want to go to America. Please, leave me alone," he said dangerously.

Astrid turned to leave, decided against it, took a step closer to him, and gave him a desperate hug. Hugging Kurt was like hugging a pole—he just stood there rigidly. Astrid didn't care. She buried her face in his shoulder. All she wanted was to be close to him. She wanted him to open up. But he didn't. After a moment, Kurt gently pushed himself free and stared at her blankly. Astrid took it for what it was—a sign to leave, and walked out the door, closing it quietly behind her.

Astrid walked downstairs, made her way into her bedroom, and lay down on her bed to deal with her emotions and think about what to do.

Upstairs, Kurt shrugged and went back to playing his music, but he turned it down a little. Part of him was angry, frustrated. How could Astrid have suggested sending him away to America? Did she think life for him there would be any better? And did she really believe some rich professor guy's promise that he could live a normal life? What kind of bullshit was that? Was it a sick joke? Kurt really didn't want to know.

But another part of him was filled with a strange curiosity. What if, by some freaking miracle, it wasn't a lie and there was a place in America where he could live freely? Surely, it would be expensive to live in America in such a place. His family didn't have the money. There, see? He was stuck. He couldn't go. He sat down on the edge of his bed and sighed.

_What do I do?_ He thought to himself.

oOo

Two days later, with no word from Kurt, Astrid decided to call the Professor. She and Kris and talked about it between themselves and talked about it—well, tried to talk about it—with Kurt. He had shown no external interest in it, dismissing it quickly and shooting down everything they presented him with.

Inside, he was confused and uncertain. It all seemed too good to be true, and that usually meant it was. He didn't want to get his hopes up.

Downstairs, Astrid picked up the phone and called the Professor.

"This ees Mrs. Wagner, again," she said sadly when the Professor answered.

"Oh. Hello again. Did Kurt agree to come join us?" the Professor asked, guessing not by her voice, but choosing to be optimistic despite it.

Astrid sighed, a lump working its way up her throat. "Nein, he upset, distrustful. I try tell him you offer him safe home, education, und zuch zings, but he not believe me. I…I zink he afraid zat you can't offer vhat you say. I don't know. He not talk to me," she said, swallowing down an uprising of emotion.

The Professor nodded sympathetically. "I understand. Well, please let him know that our door is always open, and we would be glad to have him if he ever reconsiders."

"I vill," Astrid promised.

"Alright. Well, I'm sorry, Mrs. Wagner. I hope your son changes him mind," the professor consoled her. "Good day."

"Wait," Kurt's voice came from behind her. Astrid almost dropped the phone as she turned around in the kitchen chair.

"Um, h…hold on a moment, Professor," Astrid said into the phone, once her heart rate ticked down a few notches.

"Kurt?" Astrid asked, amazed. Kurt was standing behind her, his arms crossed and an impassive look on his face. "What is it?"

"I…I'll go. I heard most of the conversation, and I'll go," he said simply.

Astrid stared at him for a long moment in disbelief. "Well, are you going to keep that guy on the other end of the line waiting all day?" Kurt asked impatiently.

Astrid blinked, took a breath, and said into the phone, "He…mein son vill go. He said he vill."

"Good," the professor said, pleasantly surprised himself. "I'll make preparations to see him when he comes over. When do you think you can have him flown over?"

"Um," Astrid said, looking down. They didn't really have the money for a plane ticket…But this was her son's chance at a new life. "A veek," she replied, looking up at Kurt, who gave a tiny nod of agreement.

"Excellent. Tell me where to pick him up in a week, and I'll be there."

"I vill. Zank you again, Professor. You very kind," Astrid said all at once.

The Professor chuckled a little at her enthusiasm. "You're welcome. Good day."

*Click*

Astrid set the phone down, not taking her eyes off Kurt. "You changed your mind? Why?" she asked.

He shrugged, his arms still crossed. "If that guy's for real—and I'm not completely convinced he is—I guess it wouldn't be so bad if I went," he explained. "I'll be…willing to go, to test it out."

Astrid breathed a sigh of relief. Inside, she was jumping up and down and running around like a little kid. _Easy, girl_, she had to think, trying to round up her thoughts. "Um, ok," she said finally. "Well, you might want to start packing."

oOo

A week later, Kurt was ready to go. He'd gotten a little less moody with each passing day, growing more and more excited. Now, Kurt was all packed and the three of them were on their way.

"Kurt, did you pack a toothbrush?" Astrid asked for the hundredth time. They were in the car, on the way to the airport.

Kurt sighed for the hundredth time. "Yes. Und a towel. Und mein vatch. Und mein undervere. Stop asking. I didn't forget anyzing."

Kris smiled. "Why are ve all speaking English, again?"

"So zat Kurt can practice," Astrid reminded him. "He'll need to know all his English zo zat he vill be good speaker in America, ja?"

Kurt nodded. "I'll be ok."

"How you know?" Astrid challenged. "You never been to America. You not know. You just assume. I hope you brought dictionary, in case you not remember all your vords."

Kurt chuckled darkly. Astrid always nagged when she was nervous. Of course, she couldn't have been as nervous as he was. To hide himself, he was dressed in a trench coat, hat, gloves, long pants, and boots. For one, he was as hot as hell. And he worried that someone might knock his hat off or something. He'd never been in public, and he'd certainly never been on a plane.

He and Astrid had rehearsed what to do a dozen times. He just had to wait until his flight was called, hand the counter-lady his ticket, and find his seat. Astrid had bought two seats side by side, so Kurt could have a whole row to himself. It would be easier that way.

"Will you stop?" Kris said with a smile. "You two are driving me crazy. Kurt vill be fine, love. Und you and I vill get calls from him in America all ze time, ja?" He glanced at Kurt in the rear view mirror as he said it.

Kurt nodded obediently. "Ja. Every week."

"Every week? You call every day, you hear?" Astrid started up again. Kris put a hand on her leg to calm her.

"Kurt, don't pay attention to her. You call vhenever you get ze chance."

Kurt laughed. "I promise, alright?"

The car came to a stop. They were at the airport. It was a far drive from their house. Kurt had never seen an airport before. He got out of the car nervously and unpacked his things. He looked around every two seconds, expecting to see people screaming and running. But his face and body was well-hidden and people acted normal. His heart jackhammered like crazy, even though he knew he was safe. His instincts didn't seem to think so.

The trip from the car to the flight gates was a long one. Kurt had a million things running through his mind. He was around so many people. He'd never been around so many people. It was amazing, like a dream or something. They weren't running away, calling him a freak, or hitting him. He was going to America. He'd never been on a plane before. What if it crashed? No, it wouldn't crash. That was crazy. He'd get to America just fine. What would it be like at the Institute? Would the students really accept him? Would he like school? Would he make friends? He closed his eyes to clear his mind.

_It'll be ok, Wagner_, he told himself. _Keep it cool._

His mother's hand brushed his arm. He flinched at the contact. She looked over and smiled at him. God, he was leaving his parents. He'd never left them before. A sudden urge to get between them and hold onto them swelled up in his chest. How could he leave the two people he cared most about in the world? What would they do without him? He breathed in to keep the emotions to a minimum. It would be ok. His parents had lived together just fine before he'd come along, and they'd ok after he left. As for himself, he could cope. But still, it was hard to say goodbye to them. He reached out and grabbed Astrid's hand, like he did when he was a little boy. She gave him a surprised smile, but said nothing.

He held onto her hand and didn't let go if it until he had to get on his plane flight.~

oOo

**There's going to be one more chapter after this, at least. Hope you liked this one. Review please!**

**-The Ember Raven**


	4. Chapter 4

**New Beginnings**

**A/N: Thank you Sidney, Kitty-Mae, YayProductions, Talk-Ape, and Sugary-Sweet for reviewing. You guys know you're awesome. :)**

oOo

**Chapter 4:**

The plane fight to America was both amazing and horrible for Kurt. One half of his mind kept getting excited because he was on a plane. He'd never set foot on a plane before. It was fun to look around, play with all the little buttons, look out the window, and listen to nearby people talking. On the other hand, he was 20,000 feet in the air, he was no longer in Germany, and he was surrounded by lots of potentially violent people. He had to fight down his paranoid feelings in order to relax, but even then, he was a little jumpy.

When the plane landed, there was a long train ride from the airport to Bayville. Kurt got really nervous on the train, because he couldn't control where anyone sat. Luckily, he sat far away in the back, and very few people came close to him. As the train came to a stop, Kurt grabbed his luggage and got off. He looked around nervously, searching for….he wasn't exactly sure what. He didn't know who was picking him up, or what they looked like. He caught the gaze of an older man in a wheelchair. He was sitting beside a striking black woman with long, white hair. Kurt felt drawn to him, and he had the urge to move closer. But fear crept back into his head, and he stayed where he was.

The old man came closer, followed by the black lady. Kurt wasn't sure if they were the people he was supposed to meet, or if they had other intentions.

"Kurt Wagner?" the old man asked politely, his face calm and welcoming. Kurt nodded, feeling very shy. He froze up. He rarely met new people. He didn't know what to do. His English left his mind, and he muttered "Guten tag," before realizing his mistake. He looked the old man in the eye. "I…I mean, hello. Uh, um, are you ze profezzor?"

The professor nodded. "Yes, and this is my friend, Ororo Munroe."

Kurt looked over at the woman. She studied him carefully with her electric blue eyes; her face was kind. Her eyes were soft, loving. Kurt relaxed a little. The woman reached out to shake his hand. Kurt drew away.

He shook his head. He couldn't do that. People always reacted strangely when they felt his hands.

"It's all right, Kurt," the professor assured him. "Ororo knows that you're different. She won't mind. Go on," he urged.

So Kurt reached his hand out a little, hesitated, then shook Storm's hand. Ororo glanced down at his hand, feeling the two fingers and the fur. She thought he felt very soft, like fine velvet or something. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Wagner. Now, we have a car waiting. We'll take you to the Institute, ok?" she said. Kurt let her hand go.

"Ok," he muttered.

He followed the professor and Storm out of the train station. _He seems so nervous_, Storm thought to the professor as they walked out.

_I know, but his mother did warn us. He's not used to being around people, and this must all be very overwhelming to him._

Storm nodded. _He'll be ok when we get to the mansion. He just needs to see some people like him, I think. Though we don't have any students with such obvious physical…differences from normal people._

_We'll let him meet Scott. His powers prevent him from living as normally as other people. He should connect with the boy._

_I hope so, _Storm thought with a sigh_. I hope we can reach him._

_I believe we can, _the professor agreed. He glanced over his shoulder to make sure Kurt was still behind them. He was, and his head was cocked to one side as if he was examining them. As if he knew they were having a mental conversation.

_You think he knows what we're doing?_ Storm mused.

_Possibly_, the professor thought with a small mental chuckle.

They arrived at the car. The professor got in, and Storm took the passenger seat. Kurt put his bag in the trunk and crawled into the back. The ride to the mansion was very quiet. Kurt kept looking from the professor to Storm. They appeared to be talking to each other, somehow. Their expressions were like those of two conversing people, and they kept glancing at each other.

Kurt gave up guessing and stared out the window. He wasn't sure what to make of America. He had summed it up in one word so far: big. There were people everywhere, the streets were busy, there were houses and buildings all over the place. Kurt had never seen so many people and buildings all at once. It was expansive and endlessly huge to him.

He thought America seemed like a nice place, though, despite its size. It's was warm—warmer than Germany—and the scenery was pleasant. Trees, hills, fields, wide open skies…it was very nice. Some places they drove past reminded him of his farm in Germany, which was comforting. But he couldn't help but sigh and think of his home. He missed his parents, he missed his house.

_It's a good thing I brought some stuff from my old room_, he thought. _Maybe it'll make me feel more at home here._

Just then, the car stopped outside the gates of a very large house. It was a beautiful white mansion with at least three floors and tons of tall, elegant windows decorating the front. There was a rolling green lawn with several statues, none more prominent than the lady statue-fountain in the middle. Out back there seemed to be a pool and a basketball court. There was a huge garage on one side, which looked large enough to hold a dozen cars. Kurt's mouth fell open slightly. When he heard he'd be living at his school, he didn't think it'd be anything this fancy. He could barely imagine himself living somewhere so beautiful and high-class.

Storm and the professor climbed out of the car. Kurt got out after a moment and shook his head in disbelief. He grabbed his luggage and followed Storm and the professor inside. Storm stopped right after they got inside, looked at the professor for a moment, and said, "Yes, I'll go deal with that," and bustled off.

Kurt gave the professor a sidelong glance. The professor smiled and said, "Oh, Kurt, it's all right. I'm a telepath. That's my gift."

Kurt took a half-step back. "A…are you reading mein mind?" he asked nervously. The professor shook his head.

"I never do unless I have the person in question's full permission. I merely assumed you were wondering how I seemed to be talking to Mrs. Munroe," the professor explained politely.

Kurt gave a small nod. "Zo, you talk to people in their minds, ja?"

"Among other things, yes."

"Zat's cool," Kurt remarked, his curiosity piqued. "Und zo everyvone here has some sort of gift?"

"Yes. Even Ororo, who just left us, is very gifted. She can control the weather."

Kurt blinked. He thought his powers were crazy, but talking to a psychic old man and hearing about a woman who could manipulate the weather….it was rather a lot to take in. Plus there were x-number of other students here with other powers he could probably not imagine.

"Come to my office for a minute, Kurt," the professor invited. "I'll explain some of the school rules, and what you can expect in your first few days of living here."

Kurt nodded wordlessly and followed. The professor led him to a large, pale room with red furniture. A fire crackled in a fireplace along one wall. Another wall was line with books, like a library. The professor invited him to sit, but he stood there and looked around for a moment.

"Wow," Kurt breathed. "Zis place is huge."

The professor chuckled. "It is, isn't it? Now, Kurt, I'd like to tell you a little bit about this school."

The professor and Kurt talked for a few minutes. The professor did most of the talking and explaining. Kurt shyly said a few things, but mostly listened. In truth, the professor was mostly just talking to Kurt in an attempt to open him up. Just then, Scott and Jean walked by the professor's office and called in, "We're going out for a bit, ok?"

The professor raised a hand to stop them. "Hold on, you two. I'd like you to meet someone." Obediently, Jean and Scott stepping into the Professor's office. Their eyes found Kurt quickly. Jean raised a red eyebrow, trying to see the face that went with the pair of glowing eyes staring back at her.

"This is Kurt," the Professor said. "He arrived a while ago."

"Hey Kurt," Scott said. "This is Jean"—he motioned to the redhead—"and I'm Scott. How yah doing?" He extended his hand and smiled. Kurt stepped back, closer to the professor. He didn't want to scare them, or turn them away.

The professor smiled understandingly. "It's alright Kurt," he explained. "You're among friends here." He gave Kurt and encouraging look. Kurt slowly took his hand out of his pocket and shook Scott's hand. Scott flinched at the feel of fur, and gave him a funny look, as if deciding whether to be weirded out or not. He looked like he could handle it, and he smiled again.

"Hello," Kurt said quietly, blushing under his fur as he spoke. He could feel his cheeks burning.

The professor cleared his throat. "I was just telling Kurt how I set up this institute for gifted children, children whose gifts are not always an asset. Right Scott?" The professor glanced right at Scott, making him flinch a little.

"Oh, so, uh, you heard about last night?" Scott said, referring to some incident involving a mishap with his powers. Kurt wondered what he meant.

The professor smiled slightly and leaned forward. "It was difficult not to. It was on all the news channels. You destroyed half of the football field." _What does this guy do, turn into Godzilla?_ Kurt wondered, trying to piece together the conversation.

"It was a bad situation, and there was an accident," Scott tried to explain. He rubbed his neck nervously. "I'm sorry."

"I know," the professor said seriously. "Luckily no one was badly hurt and the true cause was not discovered. But you must be more careful, Scott," he added forcefully.

"C'mon, Professor," Scott groaned. "I'm packing a bazooka behind each eyeball. What do yah want from me?" Kurt really wondered what Scott could do now.

"Control, Scott," the professor emphasized. "Control. That's what you're all here to learn." He looked over at Kurt, guessing he was confused. "Scott's eyes emit destructive blast beams," the professor explained. Kurt smiled. That was a crazy power, and way cooler than his. He felt a sudden sense of belonging, realizing he wasn't the only one who couldn't always control his powers.

He took a chance and pushed back his hat to show his face. "Cool," he remarked, smiling. Neither Scott nor Jean reacted badly upon seeing his face. They acted completely normal, which just about floored Kurt.

"Well, what can you do Kurt?" Jean asked from nearby. "Do you have a special gift which brought you here?"

Kurt nodded. He felt a tiny bit of pride creep up into his chest. He teleported across the room with a loud *bamf* and smiled. "Maybe," he said. His tail slipped out from under his coat and whipped back and forth excitedly.

"Whoa," Scott and Jean said at the same time, they eyes wide. Kurt blushed again. He'd never had anyone see his powers and find it cool, except for his parents. Then again, not many people saw him use his powers, but still.

"I'll be helping Kurt settle in," the professor said, waving Scott and Jean along. "We can talk more tonight," he added, giving Scott a last look. Scott gulped and led Jean out.

The professor turned back to Kurt. "Would you like to see your room?"

Kurt nodded. "Ja."

"Well, let's go then." The professor motioned for Kurt to follow him out. Kurt walked beside him. The professor was glad Kurt had chosen to show himself to Scott and Jean. It was a step in the right direction. So was opening up and showing off his powers. Those would give him confidence in himself.

"All ze students are zat nice?" Kurt asked, referring to Scott and Jean's warm welcome.

The professor answered as honestly as possible. "All of the students are different," he said slowly, "but I believe you will find all of them are that nice, yes."

The two stepped into the elevator, where Storm already was. "Going up?" she asked with a pleasant smile. She was carrying a small plant in her hands.

"Yes."

At the second floor, the elevator stopped, and the three of them got out. "Mind if I walk with you two?" Storm asked. "Just on my way to my inside garden."

"Of course," the professor said. They walked to an empty room and Storm pushed open the door with one hand. The room was large, with a floor-to-ceiling window along one wall and an outside balcony. Kurt stepped inside and looked around in amazement.

"Z..Zis is all mine?" he asked, stepping around in a circle.

"Yes, Kurt," the professor said. "That's why your parents sent you here. Because they knew you'd be happy here."

Just then, Kurt caught a look at his reflection in the mirror on one wall. "Happy?" he said with a long sigh. "How can I be happy vhen I look like zis?" A long train of bad memories ran through his mind. "I scare people."

The professor reached into his pocket. "Well, I have something for you, Kurt. I made this. Put it on," he said, removing a nice black watch from his coat pocket. Kurt took it and examined it, wondering how a digital watch was going to do him any good.

He sighed reluctantly and put it on. He looked down at his hands, only to see them unexpectedly change into normal, pale, five-fingered hands. He looked up, realizing what he happened to him. Whatever the watch was, it made him look superficially normal. He could hardly believe it. He felt his hand experimentally. It still felt like fur but it looked like soft, pale skin. He quivered. Fifteen years and he'd only ever dreamed of looking normal. Now, he had a simple device that made him look like a normal person whenever he put it on.

"Whoa," he breathed, his heart racing. He suddenly realized how easy this would make going to school and going out in public. His mind went crazy at the notion. Going out in public? How could it be so simple?

"I…I'm normal," he said after a second. He was almost too excited to speak.

"Of course you're normal, Kurt," Storm remarked. "But not because of that machine."

"Storm is right," the professor added. "Normal is what you truly are. Don't think otherwise." He moved up beside Kurt and turned off the watch. "This is just a disguise so you won't be prosecuted by those who don't understand you."

Kurt slumped a little. He knew the professor was right. He couldn't wear the watch all the time. The watch wouldn't make him not Kurt. It couldn't hide the fact that he was still blue and fuzzy underneath. He would always look different.

"I…I understand, professor," he said quietly. "But still. Zank you." He looked around his room again. "For everyzing."

Both the professor and Storm smiled. "You're welcome, Kurt," the professor replied. "Now, we must be leaving. Take some time and get settled."

They left a moment later, leaving Kurt alone in his room. He felt very small compared to the sheer size of his room. The living room and kitchen from his old house would have fit into the space he had.

He felt a strong mix of emotions. He was so happy to find that he was welcomed and accepted by the teachers and the students he'd met so far. He'd been given a huge room, and he was living in a gorgeous house with tons of property. He'd be with other students. He'd get to meet new people. And, most importantly, he'd gotten a watch that let him fit in with normal humans. He felt such a sense of freedom. It made him immeasurably happy and content.

Kurt looked around and walked over the large window-doors. He pulled them open and stepped out onto the balcony.

He leaned against the railing and looked out across the back lawn, which stretched back into a lush forest. He closed his eyes and felt the wind in his hair. It felt nice.

_Zis place is perfect_, he thought happily. _I…I get to live here with nice people. And go to school. And go outside…_

He quivered again at the thought. A surge of emotion ran through his body, and he had the sudden urge to do something wild. He climbed up on the railing, putting his feet on the lower horizontal beam. He leaned up against the railing and cried out at the top of his lungs, "Woooooohoooo!" His cry echoed across the field, loud and resonate. Kurt beamed and threw his head back.

"Zank you for giving me a chance to start over," he whispered to the universe. He closed his eyes as one happy tear rolled down his cheek.

*Fin*

**Aww, I'm sorry this story's over. *Frowns* I was really in love with it. Well, anyway, hope you enjoyed it. Review!**

**-The Ember Raven**


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